Knockdown or folding scenery.



y G. KUNKBL L G. H. WILLIAMS.

KNOGKDOWN 0R FOLDING SGBNERY.

APLIATION FILED APR. 27. 1912.

y Patented May 20, 1913. Z7 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. ./Wj

WHS/www0 M Patent-,ea May 2o, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` G..KUNKEL @D G. H. WILLIAMS.

KNOCKDOWN 0R FOLDING SGENERY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1912. 1,062,479.

mf f A PLANQGHA Wilt/neuw M Pre smjlasprA/TENT oEEicE.

' GEORGE KENKEL AND GEOEGE n., WILLiAMs, OE OINOIENETE OHIO.

To allwhom @'15 may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE KU'NKEE andGEORGE H.r WILLiAMs, citizens of the ,United States, residing atCincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of QhiO, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Knocldown or Folding Scenery, of' whichvthe frame on which the" canvas is secured,j

the object of our invention being to effect improvements in theconstruction of the side: Stiles whereby they are adapted to be foldedand also to provide improved devices fory securing the foldable membersofthe side Stiles together and also for securingk the top: and bottomrails to the side Stiles, and, further, to effect improvements in theconstruction of the braces and in the means for detachably securing theends of the braces ,toI the side Stiles.

In the' drawings Figure v1 is aneleva-1 tion of a scenery frameconstructed in accordance with our invention, showing the same set up.Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same with the parts detached. Fig. 3 is aEdetail sectional view on the plane indicated bythe line -b of Fig. 1,showing a portion of one ofthe side Stiles, a portion of the top railand also showing our improved devices for connecting said rail to saidstile. Fig. 4 isa similar view on the plane indicated by the line c-c ofFig. 1, showing the meeting, hinged ends of the members of one of theside Stiles and our improved devices for securing said members in set upposition. Fig. 5- is a detail sectional view on the plane indicated bythe line d-Zg showing a portion of one of the side Stiles, a portion ofone of the braces andi our improved ldevices for detachably securing thebrace to the side stile.

Iny the drawing the side stiles are indicated? at l, the bottomrail at 2and the top rail at 3. In accordance with our invention, each of theside stiles is foldable and comprises a pair of members 4 5 which areconnected together by a hinge-6 which is arranged one one side thereofat their meeting ends. The hinge connections between the members of theside Stiles enable the Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented May 20, 1913.

Application led April` 27', 19.12'. SeralfNo. 69335381 latter to beyfolded. The hinges are on the front faces of the Stiles or those faceswhich are covered by the canvas 7 on which thescenery is painted. Eachmember 5 is provided on its rear Side near its upper end with a metalplate Swhich is recessed therein, and flush therewith, the said platebeing ysecured in place as by means of screws 9 bein-g; provided, nearits upper side, which is spaced aslight distance' from the upperA endl'vof' said stile member with outwardly projecting studs 10'. A locking yplate 11, which is made of suitable spring sheet metal, such as brass orthe'like, is se` cured by means of screws 12 or other suitable 4deviceson the rear side of the Stile member 4 at the lower end thereof, andprojects downwardly from said lstile member so as to overlapy and bearon they rear sidev of thel upper portion ofthe lower stile member 5 whenthe stile is in set up position, the saidprojecting lower portionl ofthe locking plat'e being provided with openings 13 into which the studs10 snapfwhen the frame is in set upv/position. It will be understood fthat sincelthje plates 8-11 arel ony the opf posite sideof the membersofeach stile from the hinges 6 and that since the said plates are providedwith coengaging lockingv studs and openings, the said plates coact withAthe hinge to` Securely lock the members of the said Stiles together andstiften the same when the frame'is in setup position and hold thev framefirmly when in such position.

Each member of each side stile is provided at its outer end with ametallic plate -1'4 whichf partially covers its rear side and alsocovers its eXtreme' end, the said plates *being* substantially L-shapedcross sectionally as Showny in Fig. 3.. These plates are secured byscrews 15. The top and bottom rails areA provided at their ends withcorrespondingly shaped plates 16 which are secured thereto by screws.17,1 the said plates covering the rear sides of the ends of the itop andbottom rails and also covering those portions of their inner' edgeswhich are opposed to the ends of the. side Stiles. Each plate 16 isprovided with outwardly extendingk studs 18. On each plate 14 is secureda locking plate 19, by means of screws 20.

`The said locking plates project beyond the ends of the side Stiles soas to partially overlap the plate 16 of the top and bottom rails and areprovided in their overlapping portions with openings 21 into which theSaid Studs 18 Snap. The canvas which is arranged on the front side ofthe frame as shown, serves when attached to the side Stiles to formflexible connections between the top and bottomrails and thecorresponding ends of the side Stiles, as will be understood, and whenthe top and bottom rails are arranged in line with the Side Stiles,-in

set up position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3),v

they are secured together in such relation by the coacting lockingplates 19 and plates 16, as will be understood. The locking plates 11-19may be 'disconnected from the Studs 10 and 18 by prying or forcing theirfree ends outwardly by means of any Suitable implement, the free ends ofthe locking plates being preferably and, as here shown, slightlyoutturned so' as to facilitate their disengagement from the lockingstuds.

The side Stiles are provided on their rear sides with canvas securingStuds 23 which are arranged at suitable distances apart and the canvasis provided near its edges with two or more series of eyelets 24 forengagement by the said Studs, so that the ends of the canvas which areextended around to the rear sides of the Side Stiles may be thusdetachably and adjustably Secured thereto. The upper and lower edges ofthe scenery are glued, pasted or otherwise secured to the front sides ofthe topand bottom rails.

To further strengthen the connection between the said Stiles and the topand bottom rails, the side Stiles are provided at their ends with tenons24 which are rounded on their rear sides and the top and bottom railsare provided near opposing edges with mortises 25 to receive the saidtenons, the rounded faces of the tenons adapting the top and bottomrails for the pivotal movement made necessary by the hinge connectionsbetween Said top and bottom rails and the side Stiles effected by thecanvas as hereinafter described.

Since the upper and lower Sides of the canvas are permanently glued orotherwise fastened to the top and bottom rails and the sides or ends ofthe canvas are detachably connected to the side Stiles by studs andeyelets hereinbefore described, it will be understood that when theframe is knocked down or folded and the top and bottom rails detachedfrom the side Stiles, together with the canvas, the canvas may be rolledaround the top and bottom rails to avoid cracking and creasing of thepaint or painted scenes on the canvas.

The braces or toggle rails of our improved knock down or folding sceneryare Shown at 25 and are arranged between the opposing Sides of the sideStiles when the scenery is set up. Each of the braces is provided ateach end with a pair of metal plates 26-27 secured thereto by screws 28on the front and rear sides thereof, the said plates projecting from thebraces or toggle rails so as to extend partly across the said Stiles 1and bear on the frontV and rear sides of said side Stiles, the latterbeing provided on their 4rear sides with studs 29 which are adapted tosnap into openings 30 in the plates 27. Hence, the Said braces or togglerails are detachably secured to the side Stiles and may be readilyremoved therefrom when the scenery is to be knocked down and folded.

While we have herein shown and described a preferred form of ourinvention, we would have it understood that changes may be made in theform, proportion and construction of the several parts without departingfrom the spirit of our invention and within the Scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim 1. A. foldable o r knock downscenery comprising a canvas, topand bottom rails Secured to the corresponding upper and lower sides ofthe canvas, Side Stiles, the said Side Stiles and the correspondingportions of the canvas being provided with means' to detachably Securethe Sides or ends of the canvas to the said side Stiles, and means todetachably Secure the top and bottom rails to the side Stiles, the Saidside Stiles being foldable and being provided with means to secure andstiften, them when in set up position.

2. In knock down scenery, in combination withV Side Stiles, and top andbottom rails detachably secured to the side Stiles, canvas permanentlySecured' to the top and bottom rails, and detachably secured to the sideStiles. v

3. In combination, in a knock down scenery frame, with a side stile anda rail, canvas permanently Secured to the rail and also detachablySecured' to the side stile and forming` a flexible connection on oneside of and between the side stile and rail, coacting means on theopposite side of the side stile and rail to secure them together when inset up position, the said securing means comprising Studs projectingfrom one of said members, and a spring plate Secured to and projectingfrom the other member and having openings for engagement by said Studs.

4. In combination with the side Stiles of scenery frames, bracesarranged between the side Stiles and provided at their ends with pairsof platesV projecting therefrom and bearing on the front and rear Sidesof the side stiles, each side stile having studs and certain of theplates of said braces having openings for engagement by the Said studs.

5. In knock down Scenery,'the combination of Side Stiles having dowelsat their ends, top and bottom rails on the ends of the side Stiles andhaving mortises engaged by the dowels, canvas on one side of and securedIn testimony whereof We aiX our signato the said side Stiles and top andbottom tures in presence of two Witnesses.

rails, and fastening means to detaohably se- GEORGE KUNKEL.

cure the top and bottom rails to the side GEORGE I-I. WILLIAMS. Stiles,said fastening means being on the op- Witnesses:

posite side of said rails and Stiles from said E. I-I. MESCH,

canvas. PETER ALBmTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of lPatents, Washington, D. C.

